Photos from our Purim Party courtesy of Rabbi Klein
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President's Message Ruth FainMany synagogues require tickets to attend High Holiday Services, tickets which are sent only when the yearly dues are paid. The ticket system forces members to pay before they pray, which is clearly a motivating force for many to be up to date on their synagogue support. Our outlook on this is different. Temple Habonim has an open door policy for High Holiday Services and no tickets are necessary. We want you to belong. We also want you to support the temple, at whatever rate is appropriate for you. The synagogue?s expenses are like your own; some anticipated and others not, like replacing the furnace or cleaning up after a flooded basement. The additional budgeting challenge the Board always faces is counting on an inexact source of support through dues payments. Your fair share support is what keeps the temple running. We understand that there are people who attend High Holiday Services and choose not to pay dues. We understand that there are people who feel that the temple will always be here, with or without their financial support. I wish that I could tell you that dues are supplemental, but that?s not true. The dues that we all pay, in which we each get to decide what is our fair share, is what keeps the temple open. I tend to get passionate when I explain why I feel it is important that we have a Jewish presence in Barrington. I, for one, am happy that our children are able to learn about their religion amongst a group of other Jewish kids. In a town and state where we are a minority, it is crucial that we are here, to educate future generations, to support one another, to be a community. Belonging to a synagogue is just that: belonging. In a synagogue as small as ours, it should be like “Cheers,” where everyone knows your name. When you are celebrating a happy occasion in our synagogue, many of us share in your joy. And in a synagogue as small as ours, when you feel pain, many of us are there to reach out to you. Though we are a diverse group, we are all part of this community and support one another. You belong. You can be an active participant or not, as you choose, but it is the financial support of each of us which makes our congregation viable. I look forward to seeing you at High Holiday Services and wish you all a happy new year. Ruth
Temple Habonim |
